1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to decorative panels, especially decorative panels utilized for buildings.
2. Summary of the Known Art
The invention relates to decorative panels, especially decorative panels utilized for buildings.
Light emitting transparent panels of various kinds are known in the art. These panels are illuminated at one or more places along an edge of the panel using any one of a number of different light sources, such as light emitting diodes. The light from the light sources in a transparent panel with flat, parallel surfaces will have a shallow enough angle to continuously reflect from the surfaces of the panel and be confined within the panel. The light hat does not have a sufficiently shallow angle will be emitted from the light panel very near the light source, and can be shaded to blackened out there. However, given a pattern of light extracting deformities or disruptions in the surface of the panel, some of the light within and passing along the panel will be interrupted and redirected outward from the surface of the panel and made visible to one looking at that surface of the panel. The light extracting deformities in the prior art have been formed by etching or molding. The size, shape and other characteristics of these deformities or disruptions may take various forms and have, in the prior art, been made of uniform size, or of increasing size with increasing distance from the light source.